1 Working with Farmers: The Key to Achieving Adoption of More Sustainable Cassava Production Practices on Sloping Land in Asia1

Farmers in Asia like to grow cassava because the crop will tolerate long dry periods and poor soils, and will produce reasonable yields with little inputs. Most farmers realize, however, that cassava production on slopes can cause severe erosion, while production without fertilizer inputs may lead to a decline in soil productivity. Research has shown that cassava yields can be maintained for many years with adequate application of fertilizers, and that there are various ways to reduce erosion. Adoption of erosion control practices, however, has been minimal as farmers generally see little short-term benefits of these practices. To enhance the adoption of soil conserving practices and improve the sustainability of cassava production, a farmer participatory research (FPR) approach was used to develop not only the best soil conservation practices, but also to test new varieties, fertilization and cropping systems that tend to produce greater short-term benefits. Th